San Diegans may soon need to get (even more) used to holding it. 

Mayor Todd Gloria’s latest proposed budget would close public restrooms in many of the most trafficked areas across the city. In tourist hotspots like Balboa Park, Mission Bay, Shelter Island and Downtown, the budget would eliminate 38 of the 64 public restrooms in operation. The closures don’t even account for the impact reduced funding for libraries and rec centers will have on people’s access to restrooms in those facilities.

All told, the cuts would save the city about $3 million, one-third of which would come from the closure of the Neil Good Day Center, a resource center for people without homes.

Locals have long struggled with the dearth of public restrooms, and at least a half dozen academic and grand jury reports have implored city officials to expand access. That struggle has been particularly acute for homeless people in Downtown. Two feces-borne illnesses that spread over the past decade, including 2017’s Hepatitis A outbreak that killed 20 and sickened at least 528. 

The cuts would put Gloria’s past promise to place a public restroom within a five-minute walk of anywhere Downtown squarely in the toilet.  

Read the full story here. 

Councilmember Wants Police Cuts Over Library, Rec Centers

Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera pointed to areas to slash within the police budget that can be put towards libraries and rec centers instead.

“The budget is all about choices. The budget as proposed – choosing to surveil people instead of giving them a safe place to read,” isn’t right, Elo-Rivera said.

Read the full story here.

Meet the Beat Next Week

Meet environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer at Grant Park on May 21 to hear about her latest investigations and tell her what’s on your mind. This free event is open to the public. RSVP to reserve your spot. 

In Other News

  • San Diego Unified employees who were at risk of being laid off will soon be offered new jobs within the district. They will be filling existing vacant positions and offered training to take on their new responsibilities. (CBS 8 San Diego)
  • San Diego’s largest homeless provider, Father Joe’s Villages, raised a record $1.6 million for homeless children without stable housing. According to representatives of the organization, these kids are more likely to have delayed development or repeat a grade in school. (NBC 7 San Diego)
  • Las Cuatro Milpas in Barrio Logan makes its come back. After mounting financial difficulties, the family owned business sold their old location for $2.2 million and opened doors at its new location within the Mercado del Barrio this week. (Times of San Diego)
  • A newly approved set of zoning changes will ease land use approvals for small businesses and soften development rules for downtown. The changes are part of the city of San Diego’s annual land development code update based on feedback from the public, developers and other local leaders. (Union-Tribune)

The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney and Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.

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